Trainer: Rebecca Kase
On-Demand: Available with lifetime access for asynchronous learning. | This course was recorded on May 22, 2024.
How well do you understand the nervous system’s role in trauma responses? The Basics of Polyvagal Theory course, led by Rebecca Kase, LCSW, dives deep into the science of safety and the intricate workings of the autonomic nervous system. This course is designed to empower therapists with a clear understanding of how trauma affects the body and mind, explaining why some clients struggle to move past traumatic events. By learning the principles of Polyvagal Theory, you’ll gain insights into how the vagus nerve influences trauma responses and how you can help your clients regain control over their nervous systems.
In this course, you’ll discover practical strategies for improving vagal tone, a key factor in emotional regulation and recovery from trauma. You’ll learn how to apply neural exercises to support healing and explore the critical role of social engagement in trauma therapy. This course equips you with the tools to create a therapeutic environment where clients feel safe and supported, enabling them to move out of survival mode and into a place of healing and resilience. Whether you’re new to Polyvagal Theory or looking to deepen your understanding, this course is essential for enhancing your practice and helping your clients thrive.
Because the best learning happens when you feel safe. Ask freely, show up fully, and learn in a relational, non-judgmental environment built for practitioners like you.
Expect real case examples, clear guidance, and a teaching style that makes even complex topics feel approachable so you can confidently use what you learn in session right away.
Join a community of clinicians learning side by side, sharing real case insights and peer support so you can grow your skills with confidence alongside your peers in meaningful connection.
The Basics of Polyvagal Theory course, presented by Rebecca Kase, LCSW, offers a comprehensive exploration of how Polyvagal Theory can be applied to understand and treat trauma responses. The course begins by introducing Polyvagal Theory, a concept developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, which explains the adaptive functions of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) as mediated by the vagus nerve. The course highlights the importance of understanding how the nervous system responds to perceived threats and how these responses are more crucial than the traumatic event itself.
The course delves into the various trauma responses, commonly known as the “4 F’s”: Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Faint. It explains how these responses are hardwired into the brain and body as survival mechanisms, largely influenced by the vagus nerve. Participants learn about the different pathways of the autonomic nervous system, including the ventral vagal pathway (associated with safety and social engagement), the sympathetic pathway (linked to mobilization and hyperarousal), and the dorsal vagal pathway (related to shutdown and hypoarousal). The course emphasizes that trauma responses are neurophysiological processes and that understanding these pathways is key to effective trauma therapy.
A significant focus of the course is on the concept of “vagal tone,” which refers to the flexibility and health of the vagus nerve. A toned vagus nerve allows individuals to move out of stress responses more easily, contributing to better emotional regulation, improved mood, and healthier relationships. The course introduces “neural exercises” as a method to improve vagal tone, thereby enhancing the body’s ability to heal from trauma. It also underscores the importance of social engagement and relationships in the healing process, as these are essential for creating a sense of safety and promoting recovery from trauma.
Overall, the Basics of Polyvagal Theory course provides therapists with a robust framework for understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of trauma responses and equips them with practical tools to help clients work with their nervous systems for healing and recovery.
Trauma Therapist Institute Founder Rebecca Kase is recognized as one of the foremost EMDR trainers and trauma experts in the U.S. She is an LCSW, professional EMDR consultant and trainer, registered yoga teacher, and author of Polyvagal Informed EMDR: A Neuro-Informed Approach to Healing (2023).
Rebecca has been practicing in the field of trauma counseling since 2006. She’s an expert in working with complex trauma and dissociation and has practiced in both nonprofit and private practice settings. In her own therapy practice, Rebecca incorporates yoga therapy, ego states, somatic approaches, Polyvagal Theory and EMDR into her work with clients, which includes veterans and adults with Complex PTSD. Rebecca is known as a skillful, clear and enthusiastic teacher. She’ll keep you engaged and make you giggle, even in an online trauma training course!
Why PVT
Research
Introduction to the vagus
What is the ANS?
Neuroception
PVT and Trauma
Vagal tone
The social engagement system
Trauma healing
This is not an EMDR training.
2 CEs are available upon completion of all course material.
Trauma Therapist Institute is an approved continuing education provider. ACE and NBCC CEs are available for this course. This course is not approved for APA or EMDRIA CEs.
Participants must complete the full training to receive credit.
Trauma Therapist Institute, #1869, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 1/16/25 - 1/16/28. Social workers completing this course receive 6 clinical continuing education credits.
Trauma Therapist Institute has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7033. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Kase & CO is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
To receive a CE certificate, participants must complete the entire course, complete the post-test with a score of 80% or above, and complete the course evaluation. You may retake the post-test as needed. Once completed, a CE certificate will auto-populate to your online account.
Please reference our cancellation policy here (bottom section of this page).